The DNA-interaction of three newly developed semisynthetic anthracyclines with high antitumor potency MoDNM3, CNMoDNM, and CNMoADM, was investigated. When primary rat hepatocytes were incubated with tritium labeled MoDNM and CNMoDNM and their DNA was purified and enzymatically hydrolized, the formation of DNA-adducts could be demonstrated by the HPLC chromatography of the resulting mononucleoside mixtures. The parent compound, daunomycin (DNM), also formed covalent adducts with hepatocyte DNA, but to a lesser extent. These findings correlate well with earlier observations that MoDNM and CNMoDNM are potent inducers of DNA-repair in primary rat hepatocytes, whereas DNM is only weakly active in this regard. Alkaline elution studies were performed with L 1210 mouse leukemia cells and V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts. The cyanomorpholinyl derivatives showed dose-dependent DNA crosslinking activities in both cell lines at concentrations greater than or equal to 5 nMol/l. The formation of crosslinks began a few minutes after treatment of the cells and reached a maximum after 1 hr. In contrast, MoDNM, at concentrations of up to 10 muMol/l, had only a limited capacity to induce single strand breaks in L 1210 cells but did not induce DNA-crosslinks. In addition, chromosomal aberrations (chromatid breaks and translocations) were induced by the treatment of Friend and L 1210 leukemia cells with CNMoADM at concentrations between 0.07-0.6 nMol/l. At higher doses, chromosome clumping was observed. These results indicate that the high capacity of MoDNM, CNMoDNM and CNMoADM to induce DNA repair in primary rat hepatocytes is due to the formation of covalent adducts with DNA. The cyanomorpholino compounds have alkylating capacities also in cell lines such as L 1210 and V79, whereas MoDNM requires rat hepatocytes for activation. The ready formation of DNA crosslinks and chromosomal aberrations could be responsible for the high cytotoxicity of these compounds.
